Swivel coupling



Feb. 20, 1951 1. D. PRESS 2,542,701

SWIVEL COUPLING Filed Dec. 16, 1948 A TTOk/VEYS Patented Feb. 20, 1951 COUPLING Irving D. Press, Union, N. J assignor to Resistoflex Corporation, Belleville, N. J a corporation of New York Application December 16, 1948, Serial No. 65,565

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to swivel couplings, more particularly to such couplings adapted for attachment to flexible hose or other fluid conduits.

An object of the invention is to provide a coupling which may be attached to the end of a flexible hose, said coupling having a threaded part to be screwed into anofher member, the threaded part being freely rotatable relative to the part attached to the hose yet adequately sealed against leakage when the hose is subjectd either to pressure or vacuum.

Another object of the invention is to provide a swivel coupling which comprises a minimum of parts and is adapted to manufacture with a minimum of machining operations.

A further object is to provide a swivel coupling and. sealing means permitting th coupling to be screwed and unscrewed many times without developing leaks.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a swivel coupling the upper half of which is shown in central longitudinal section;

Fig. 2 is a detailed section through the seal showing the position of its parts in an unstressed condition;

Fig. 3 is a, similar view showing the position of the sealing member when the conduit of which the coupling forms a part is subjected to vacuum;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the position of the sealing member when the coupling is subj ected to internal fluid pressure;

Figs. 5,, and 6 are respectively a central sec-'- tionalview and an elevation'ofthe sealing member or O-ring; and

Fig. 7 is an elevation of a completed coupling attached to the end of a flexible hose.

Referring to Fig. 1, the swivel coupling of the invention comprises two relatively rotatable metal parts, namely, a tubularor shank member generally indicated at I and a threaded coupling member generally indicated at l I. They are permanently connected together in a manner hereinafter described and the. joint between them is made fluid-tight by means of an O-ring l2, The term O-ring has become well recognized in the art as indicating a resilient circular ring having a round cross-section, molded and trimmed to the desired dimensions. Such rings may be made to very close tolerances.

The member [0 comprises a cylindrical tube 14;

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the base of which is surrounded by an integral body portion [5 in which is an annular chamber I6 which opens toward the end N3 of the tube l4.

Extending outwardly from the body portion I5, in the opposite direction from tube I4, is a shank IQ for insertion in the end of a hose, it being understood that the hose will be secured thereon by means of a crimped ferrule or other suitable clamp, as shown at 2B in Fig. 7. Of course the particular means by which the hose or other conduit is attached to the coupling may take various formsand it is to be understood that this por-' tion of the coupling forms no part of the invention. f

Tube I4, prior to assembly of the coupling parts, is straight and of uniform diameter throughout. The annular chamber l 6 which surrounds the base of the tube has a cylindrical outer wall, the inner wall of the chamber being the outer wall of tube l4. Coupling member I l is provided at its outer end with a pipe thread 22 behind which is a hexagonal portion 24 to beengaged by a wrench. The base portion of coupling member I! is provided with a bore 25 of such size as to have a sliding fit on the outer wall of tube M, the forward end of this bore being some distance behind the end [8 of tube It and terminating at the shoulder 26 out- I together by engagement of the base of the expanded portion of the tube end With shoulder 26. This tube-expanding operation is performed so as to leave the parts relatively rotatable but with as little relative longitudinal movement as possible.

The outer surface of the base portion of the threaded coupling member H is provided with a cylindrical surface 29 which closely engages the inner surface of the outer chamber wall 2 i. That part of the base portion of member l l which lies within chamber I6 is provided with an annular recess defined, in the embodiment shown, by cylindrical flange 30 and the raidally-extending face 3|. This recess, together with the outer wall 2| and bottomwall 32 of the chamber l6, forms an annular cavity having a rectangular cross-section and in this cavity is positioned the O-ring l2. This ring, prior to assembly, has a circular cross-section as shown at 33 in Fig. 5 and is so proportioned relative to the cavity that conduit may be connected to another member cone taining an orifice threaded to receive membernl I by rotating member I] without rotating the conduit due to the fact that member ,l l= is;;fr,ee.:to1 revolve about the tube M.

The O-ring functions to provide a fluid-tight seal in the manner illustratedsiniFigs, 2N3 and. l4.. If the conduit is subjected to neither pressure=nor vacuum the O-ring may assume the cp'osi-tionl shown in Fig. 2 in whichl'it forms a seal by tight contact :-with flange 30 and wall 2 i .i Fig.3 illus tratesethe action of the O-ring under vacuum withinthe conduitwhich willtend to produce fluid i-flow in, the direction of thearrow and cause the-,zO-ring to move against. the bottomfwalli'al and seal'the. joint between wall 32 .and:flange 3%; thus preventing any flow between 1 coupline. parts lflaand i l. When the opposite-condition exists and there is pressure Within the conduit tendin to;.cause;fiuid.flowin-the directionhof the arrow intEigs ig-o-ring i2-will move in theoppo iteadis rectiongandzseal the. joint between faces I and wall 21,: The greater;theqpressureacting on the O-ring the tighter it seals the coupling.

Ibis-to be :understood that thesiOints: between theemetal parts; are made to fit ,asclosely as ,pos.- sible within-the limits oil-practical manufacture butgno, matterhow-close thev fit there is. ,boundsto. bejsome leakage, between metal surfaces -iwhich are relatively rotatable. Due to thiswleakagc, suificientapressure will be sbuilt up on one side or theiother of the O-ring-to cause ititoperform itssealing function.

Itwillbeobserved that both the-tubulan meme-- ber 51!! and thethreadedcou-pling member I I. are soi fo-rmed that they-can beturned: out on automatic screw machines without thesnecessity of reversing: the WOI'kz' The --substantial length of: the end-of-tube- M which is expanded into theenlarged-bore 2& gives the coupling very greatntensi-le strength and the ability to withstand heavy pressures or mechanical stresses acting to-sepae. rate-,.the couplingparts. The coupling-also has great stability -and strengthwith-respect to, trans:- verse loading;

While theinvention has-been illustratedg by reference to a particular embodimentiit .is ;evi-.. dent that vvarious modifications may be made therein without; departing v-fromi the:- invention; Imparticular, any: desiredtype of connection may beazusedibetween the tubularsmemberglBrand-the conduit-with which it is to .beusedw The specific threaded. connection shown on the coupling member H is merely-illustrative and theinvention contemplates the use. of any-other typeset connections requiring rotation'of' memberx! l.-- The bodyportion"; l 5 :may; if desired, be suppliediwith Wrench-engaging surfacesriso that it-may bei lield against rotation -cluring-s attachment-Z'of the cone plingc- The (cylindrical flangerfiliiwhich is shown asiformedorrmember I I so as:to adjoin :tubed 4 may; if desired; be'rpositioned in alignment with the rsurf'ace dii so thatthe O-lll'1glS positioned inside the base port-ion-of member itbetweenjthe flangesandtubesl 4. without-changing;.thevoperas I tion of the coupling. The invention therefore is to be construed broadly within the purview of the claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A swivel coupling comprising, in combinat:'on, a tube, an integral body portion surrounding the base of said tube, an annular chamber in said bodyportionconcentric with and-opening toward the end of said tube, a-coupling member having a base portion containing a bore rotatably fitting onrand shorter than said tube, said base portion fitting closely between the s de walls of said chamber and having an annular recess adjacent its end forming with-a side wall of said chamber annularrcavity; and a resilient O-ring in said cavity, said'ringiand said cavity beng so proportioned as to compress the ring slightl in its radial dimension and to permit slight axial movement of; the ring when subjected to fluid pressure, sa d coupling member having an enlarged boreiconcentric with the bore in its baseportion andsurroundinga substantial. portion.;-of;. the end ofsaid; tube, said end portion of said tube beingmadially expandedinto said enlarged bore.

21Av swivel coupling comprising, in combination; a tube, an integral body portion surrounding the base oflsaidstubevan annularchamberin said body portion concentric with and openingtoward the-end of said tube, a coupling member having a-base portion containing a bore. rotatably fitting on and shorter than said tube, vsaidbase. portion fitting closely: between the side walls A of; said chamber: and terminating in aicylindrical flange,

saidfiang-e forming with the outer sidewallof said chamber two sides oflanlannular cavit vlof rectangular cross-section, and .;a resilientWO -ring in: said cavity, said ring and .saidv cavity :being so proportioned as to compress the. ring .slightlynin its radial dimension and to permit. sli htiaxial movement. of the .ring, when subjected togfluid pressure, said coupling member. having an en.- largedqbore concentric withethe bore in itsubase portion and surrounding a .substantialportion of the end of said tube, said end-,portion ofisaid tube-:being radially expanded into saidenlarged bore,

3. A swivel coupling comprising, in scombinav-j tion, a cylindrical tube, an integral enlargedlbody portion; surrounding the base soft said tube an annular chamber in said body portion concentric with and opening towards the end. of said ,tube, a threadedcoupling member. having a ,baseuppre tionwcontaining abore rotatably .fittingon and shorter thansaidutube, said base portion fitting closely-betweentheside wallsof saidchamber and having an annular recess adjacent its end forming with a side 7 wall of said chamber an annular cavity, of rectangular. cross-section,, a resilient O-ring in said cavity, said ring and ;said avit being. so. proportioned asto ,compressthe ring slightly initsradlaI dimensionand to:;;per: mit slightiaxial movement of 'thelring whenvlsub' jected to fluid pressure, said coupling member having .an enlarged bore surroundinga; substantial portionof the end ofjsaid tube, said end 'por tion of said tube beingradially expanded into said enlarged bore, and meanssintcglfal with said body. portion forzattachment ,to aconduit;

4. niswiveldcoupling Ior pattachmentito a. hose end comprising coaxial; relativelyrotatable shank" and-coupl n members; sa d sh nkjmemberhev ing a; body portion; a shank extending outwardly there-from for insertion in,the. hose end },and,a tubular portion extending in,thesopposttegdirec;

tion said5bodnnortionshavineian; annular-.- ham- 5 her surrounding the root end of said tubular portion; said coupling member having a base portion having a bore rotatably fitting on and shorter than said tubular portion and an enlarged bore adjacent thereto forming an internal circumferential shoulder, said base portion fitting closely between the side walls of said chamber and terminating in a cylindrical flange lying wholly within said chamber against a side wall thereof, a resilient O-ring positioned in the space between said flange and the outer wall of said chamber and slightly compressed therebetween; the outer end of said tubular portion being radially ex- 10 Number REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,450,126 Wilson Nov. 27, 1923 2,477,676 Woodling Aug. 2, 1949 

